[relayed from European Commission]

EU Reference Laboratories (EURLs) aim to ensure high-quality, uniform testing in the EU and support Commission activities on risk management and risk assessment in the area of laboratory analysis. Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 on official controls defines tasks, duties and requirements for all the EURLs, a list of which is provided in its Annex VII. The Commission can establish new EURLs or change designation of existing ones. The European Parliament and the Council adopted the new Official Controls Regulation No 2017/625 on 15 March 2017. The new rules will gradually become applicable with the main application date being 14 December 2019. 

European Union reference laboratories designated in accordance with Article 93(1) shall be responsible for the following tasks insofar as they are included in the reference laboratories’ annual or multiannual work programmes that have been established in conformity with the objectives and priorities of the relevant work programmes adopted by the Commission in accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EU) No 652/2014.